Internally applied expanding gripping tool



Feb. 14, 1950 3, SHAPIRO ET AL 2,497,633

INTERNALLY APPLIED, EXPANDING GRIPPING TOOL Filed April 8, 1947zsneets-sheet 1 M I Jmntors Feb. 14, 1950 1- sHAPlRO ET AL 2,497,633

INTERNALLY APPLIED, EXPANDING GRIPPING TOOL Filed April 8, 1947 2Sheets-Sheet 2 rza '26 20 ioA /16 80 lao F 9 INVENTfoRs /f gz Q2 |04 5 B'7l/LM@ '72 ATTORNEY 'atentecl Feb. 14, 1.95.0

INTERNALLY APPLIED' EXPANDING GRIPPING T 0L` J'ackShapiro and MarvinShapiro, New-York, N. Y.

Application April. 8, 1947, SeraL- No.4 739,990

(Cl. 81--72l 2l Claims. 1i

Thisv invention relates to tools for removing lamp basesiromtheirsockets.

Theprimary. object of. the present invention is the. provision, Aof a.tool which is. particularly well adapted for usev in. removingy lampbases from Sockets from, which., it. is diiilcult. to. remove the lampbaseswhich. is frequently the case',especial' ly in` outdoor. electricIiglitfv signs duetto corrosion of. the. lampbases inthe sockets, ordueto paint orotlier causes..

Another object of' thev invention i's to provide alampbase removing toolwhichis Well adapted to. remove lamp base. from.. the socketby un.-screivi'ng; the` base from the socket; and; which is ofsuch constructionand`operation as 12.0. facilitate theremoval of the lamp. base from' thetool;v after the lampbase is. removedf from the socket.

A further obj ect' is generally to provide; alamo base removingtool'whicliis. of..A simple construction and which is highly effectivefor its purposes and 'easy to use.

Another object isk the. provision of a tool' for cleaning the. inner`surfaces4r of. electric light sockets.

The above andY other objects; features and'adivantages. ofthe present,invention will be fully understood from thez following; descriptionrconsidered`i in, connection with` theV accompanying illustrativedrawings.`

InthedraWihgs Eig.Y 12 is a., side View ofl a; lamp. base'V removingtoolembodyingthc presentinvexitont Fig. 2' is a View. similari to Fig.'i showing the' tool carrying a` lamp. bjase which h'asbeen re'-moved.from,asoclc.;`

Fig. 3y is. a View ofthe toolA partly in, elevation and partly. in,rSection,the positions'ofrelatively movable. parts. of' the, tool.'corresponding to' the positions.. shown in Fig. 1.`

Fig..4 is anend. view oithe'tool:

Eig, 5` isaside View,` in. elevatiomof, a tool` embodyinganother formofthe intention;

Fig,...6is.a longitudinal sectional'view 'on-the line l-llof'Eig. 5;

Fig...A 7, isE a sectional` view on.` the line T T of Eis, 6:..

Eig.. 9 isla.. side. view of onejof the grippingelements., p

Referring now to the drawings and first to the form oftheinventionillustrated in Figs. 1' to 4; theftool lllsembodyingthepresent invention comprises a, 1am-pbaseV gripping member |2l andi'anoperati-ngmember lill forV conditioning the gripping.. member |2` togrip and. release the.- lamp base and. for actuating; the grippingmember. for removing the lamp base from the socket.

The. gripping `member li2 is preferably formed of,v spring steel andcomprises a part or. holder i6. which is preferably cylindrical andwhich is internally screw-threaded. as indicated at I8. Gripping memberL2 is radially expansible and' contractable and for this purposev isprovided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced'longitudiriallslots 20' which extend to the free' outer end ofv said, gripping memberforming, a. plurality of. resilient. segments, 22l which extendAlongitudinally of. the gripping member and constitute lamp-base grippingelementsr It will be under'- stood that the gripping memberll2i`speripherally continuous except in the slitted portion whichprovides the, gripping elements 221 The outer end portion of grippingmember lf2 is externally screwet'hrea'ded as indicated at 24vl to fitthe, internal screw-threadedH surface of a lamp base which is indicatedat'B, inl Fig; 2; It will'` be' understood thatv screw-threaded; portion24 of the gripping member is cylindrical and that in its normal. or'contracted condition itl may be in,- serted within or threadedintothescreW-Ltgl'ireade'd shellA of the lamp base after a suicient amountof the glass'ofY the lamp bulb and the' material Whichwas usedforsecuring the lamp bulb inthe base have'been'removed; lreferably,`but'not necessarily; the diameterof threadedportion 2l, in itsnormalcontracted condition, is such that it is insertable nto the basev onlyAby screwingV it intothe lamp` base.- A shoulder 26 is provided on thegrippingl member toA limit the extent of insertion of part 24 ofthegrippingV member in the lamp base.`

The operating; member lo comprises a rigid stem or spindle 28 havingv aAthreaded portion t8 whichV is vin screwethreaded' engagement-With `thethreaded portion 3l!` of the larme-'base` gripping member l2; Said-stemZBihas an` outwardly fiar'- ing or inwardly tapering outer end portion32 which is of: circular cross section-'andil whichis in# engagementwith the outwardly flaring or bevelled inner `surface 34 offthefouterend portion- 2li of thel gripping memberY so thatv4` as' aresult of' relative rotation ofmembersv I2I and"l M in a predetermineddirection end portion 3`2f of operatingV member |41 moves axially orlongitudinallyinwardlyof the outerfend portionV Z4^= of gripping memberI"2v therebyA radiallyY expanding the latter'for" securely grippingthe--lampbaseB internally thereof, with the raised' screw portionsv of.part.24i inthe groovesof the screw-threadsof the lamp base internallythereof. It will be understood that parts 24 and 32 are concentric orcoaxial.

Provision is made for releasably holding members I2 and I4 againstrelative rotation. For that purpose a locking member 36 which as hereshown is in the form of a sleeve has a sliding t on spindle I4 but isheld against rotary movement thereon by a pin 38 which is fixed to saidspindle and which projects into a slot 40 provided in said lockingmember. The adjacent end of gripping member I 2 is provided with one ormore notches 42 in which a companion integral projection 44 of lockingmember 36 has a removable fit, in one position of said locking memberlongitudinally of spindle 28 for releasably preventing relative rotationbetween gripping member I2 and operating member I4. A spring pressedball 46 is disposed within a lateral groove 48 in spindle 28 and isengageable in either of two recesses U and 52, respectively, forreleasably holding the locking member in its locking and retractedpositions, respectively. A rigid pin 54 is xed to spindle I4 andprojects laterally thereof for engagement with the adjacent edge 56 ofpart I6 of the gripping member I 2 for limiting the movement of spindle28 longitudinally toward the outer split end of member I2. It Will beunderstood that when pin 54 is in engagement with edge 56 of part I6 ofmember I2, the lamp base gripping member is in its normal or radiallycontracted condition. Spindle 28 is provided with a` cross pin or handle5,8 for actuating the tool and for use in effecting the relativerotation of members I2 and I4. Figs. 1 and 3 show relative positions ofthe parts of the tool in which the threaded part 24 of the tool isinsertable into the lamp base B, the screwthreaded portion 24 of thetool being radially contracted. The screw-threaded shell or socket inwhich the lamp base is mounted and from which it is to be removed by thetool is not shown since sockets of this type are well known.

The lamp base being in its socket is removed therefrom in the followingWay: The threaded end portion 24 of the tool, being constructed so thatit can be threaded into the base internally thereof is rotated byoperation of the spindle I4 by means of the handle 58, .the lockingmember 36 being in its locking position as shown in Fig. 1. This iseiected by turning the tool in the direction of arrow A in Fig. l,preferably through about three revolutions. Then the locking member 36is released from the gripping member I2, as illustrated in Fig. 2 andmember I4 is then rotated in the opposite direction as indicated .by thearrow B in Fig. 2. The rotation of member I4 in this last mentioneddirection results in the radial expansion of screw-threaded portion 24of the outer gripping member so that the latter securely grips the lampbase internally thereof whereby continued operation thereafter of thetool in 'the same direction is eiective to unscrew the lamp base fromthe socket for removing the lamp base therefrom.

After the lamp base is removed from its socket spindle 28 of operatingmember I4 is turned in the opposite direction, say in the direction ofarrow A in Fig. 1 while the gripping member I2 is held against rotation,for example, by holding the lamp base B which is mounted on saidgripping member, until the radial pressure of the screw-threaded portion24 on the internal screwthreaded surface of the lamp base is released.Then the locking member 36 is returned to its locking position toprevent relative rotation of members I2 and I4 so that removal of thelamp base B from the tool is facilitated by unscrewing said lamp basefrom the threaded portion 24 of the tool. In case more than averagediiiiculty is encountered in removing the lamp base from its socket byturning the handle128 by hand, a wrench or other suitable tool may beapplied to member I2, and for this purpose portion I6 of said member isprovided with a hexagonal or other part 60 which may be engaged by awrench and thereby rotated. The outer end of spindle 28 is preferablyrecessed as indicated at 62 in Fig, 3 to receive parts of the lamp orlamp securing material which might not have been removed from the lampbase preliminary to the insertion of the tool in the lamp base asreferred to above.

The tool of the present invention can be used for cleaning electric lampsockets as well as for removing lamp bases therefrom. In thisconnection, it will be understood that the tool may be inserted in thesocket so as to engage the threaded portion 24 of the tool with thescrewthreaded shell of the socket internally thereof. The portion 24 maybe expanded, if desired, to provide the required fit between the outersurface of said portion and the inner threaded surface of the socketshell so that rotation of the tool results in scraping and cleaning thesaid surface of the socket. Thus the tool is particularly well adaptedfor removing paint, corrosion and other foreign material from the innersurface of the socket shell whereby to clean the same and therebyimprove the electrical conducting condition thereof.

In the tool IIIA, embodying the presently preferred form of theinvention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 9, the gripping member 19 comprisesa plurality of individual gripping elements 12, which are initiallyseparate from the holder part 14, instead of being integral with theholder part I6 as are the gripping elements 22 in the above describedtool III. Each gripping element 12 is in the form of a rigid bar and isassembled with the other gripping elements in circumierentially spacedrelation around the operating member 1E and with the inner end portionsof said gripping elements within theholder part 14. The latter isprovided with an internal peripheral groove 18, and each grippingelement 12 has a lateral end projection which projects into said grooveand is thereby held against movement axially of said part 14. Provisionis made for holding elements 12 in circumferentially spaced relation,the means provided for this purpose comprising the circular plates 82and 84 which surround member- 16 and are spaced from each otherlongitudinally of member 16, said 'plates having central openings 86 and88 in which member 16 has a sliding t. Eachplate has a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced recesses 90, in its outer peripheral edge, andeach element 12 has a pair of longitudinally spaced recesses 92 in itsinner edge. In the assembled relation of elements 12 and said plates 82and 84, the latter engage said elements in the recesses 92 thereof andthe elements engage said plates in the recesses thereof, so that saidelements are held by said plates in the circumferentially spacedrelation thereof and so that said plates are held in iixed spacedrelation longitudinally of said elements. The interengagement betweenelements 12 and plates 82 and 84 is with suiiicient clearance to enablelimited radial movement of said elements to their circumferentiallyexpanded and contracted posi-` tions,r corresponding to the radialmovement or gripping; elements 22 of toolu i0-, as described above, foroperative engagement with and release from the lampA base. Plate 82 isprovided with a lateral key projection 94 which engages holder 14 in arecess tv to prevent turning of said plate in said holder, thus holdingelements 12 in fixed relation circumferentially of holder 14.

The operatingv member 16 has a screw-threaded portionv S3 which is inscrew-threaded engagement with the internally screw-threaded partr |00of holder 14, soA that relative turning of members 14 and 15 results inrelative longitudinal or axial movement of said members. Operatingmember 16 has an outwardly aring or inwardly tapering conical endportion |02 for engagement with the` bevelled ends |04 of grippingelements 12 for moving said elements radially outwardly to theirexpanded or lamp-base gripping positions. It will be understood thatwhen member 'it is rotated in relation to holder 14 in such directionthat part |02 moves axially of the holder toward end |06 thereof, saidpart |02 engages the bevelled ends |04 of elements 12 for moving them totheir circumerentiallyexpanded positions, and it will be noted that theoutward radial movement of said elements is limited. by the engagementof the edge surfaces |0.&,of the latter with the inner peripheralsurface ||0` of holder 14. Thus, in the final circumferentiallyexpandedpositions of elements 12, the latter are clutched to the holder 14.

When, as here shown, the tool is designed for removing lamp bases of thescrew-threaded type from screw-threaded socket shells, elements 12, likeelements 22 of tool I0 are screw-threaded, collectively, for engagementof the screw-threaded portions |,I2 of said elements internally of thelamp base as described above in respect to theVv operation of tool I0.When the gripping member is inserted into the lamp base, they elements12l are in their fully circumferentiallycontracted positions, part |02being at its extreme position away from end |06 of holder 14 by reasonof the engagement of the locking member1-||4 with holder 14 in a mannersimilar to theaction oflocking member 360i tool |0. Locking member H4has'two diametrically opposite projections H6 which engage holder 14 inthe diametrically opposite recesses ||8 provided in the edge i lflofsaid holder. Locking member |4 is movable longitudinally of member 16,in the same way as said locking member 36, into and out of engagementwith holder 14, and has the pin and slot connection and spring-pressedholder shown at 38, 40, 46 and 48 in Fig. 3 in reference to tool I0. Inaddition, locking member ||4 has a ringer piece I9 vwhich may be engagedby the users iingers, when the tool is held in his hand with the handle|20 against his palm, for retracting the locking member from engagementwith holder 14. Handle |20 is removably secured to the end or operatingmember 16 in any suitable way as by a screw |24, said end of member 16having a non-circular part |26 which rits nonrotatably into acorresponding shaped opening |28 in the handle.

The tool IDA is operable in the same Way as the tool Iii for removinglamp bases from their sockets as hereinbefore described with reference`to tool l0. It will be noted that the holder '14 is provided with anon-circular part |29, here shown as hexagonal, to provide a wrench-gripas described above with reference to part 60 of tool |0.

Thevtool |0A-,.like` the tool |10, may also be used for cleaningelectric lampy sockets. When used for this purpose, elements 12.l are inpartially circumferentially-expanded condition, Preferably said elementsarein the positions to which they are moved by part |02 of the operatingmember as a result of oney complete` turnor revolution of said member inrelation to holder` 14 for causing movement of part |02 toward end |05or said holder. During the operation of the tool for cleaning thesocket, holder 14 is locked to member 16 by locking member |`|4.

It will be noted that the outer ends of elements 12 are also bevelled attheir outer edges as indicated at |30 so. that the gripping memberconsidered as a whole has an inwardly tapering outer end toy facilitateinsertion of the gripping member into the lampl base or into the lampbase socket. It will be understood that the tool LBA is operatedsubstantially in the same way as tool l0 either for removing a lamp-basefrom its socket or for cleaning a socket. If desired, either end ofhandle |20 may be pointedr for use in cleaning cement and/or glass fromthe lamp base so that the gripping member may be inserted into the base,or for the same purpose, a suitable device (not.- shown) may be securedto handle |20, and

in either case the tool IBA may be held inthe hand for the cleaningoperation by gripping, the holder 14v in. the palm of the hand.

Holder i4 is preferably made in one piece, aS shown, and assembled:with. member 16 gripping elements 12 and plates 82 and 842, beforelocking` member ||4 and handle |20 are attached tof or mounted on saidoperating member. Ink this connection, it will be understood that thereis` su'lcient clearance between elements 12 and said plates-andbetweensaid elements 1,2 and holder 14 to enable all of these parts tolbe assembled together into a unit and then assembled as a unit withmember 16- by inserting the latter through the openings 86 and 38 in theplates and through the holder 14. After holder 14, elements 12 andplates' 82 and 84 are assembled as a unit on member 16, locking member||4 is placed in position' on and secured to member 16, and nally handle|20 is attached. It 4will be noted that elements 12 cannot be removedunless operating member 1E is withdrawn from the assembly and that thiscannot be done withoutv first removing locking member ||4 and handle|20.

It will be understood that while the tools embodying the presentinvention are intended primarily for use in connection with lamp basesof the screw-threaded type and are therefore provided withscrew-threaded gripping members, it is within the scope of the presentinvention to omit the screw-threads from said gripping members when thetool is designed for use with other types of lamp bases, for examplelamp bases which have bayonet type of connection with a lamp socket ofthe bayonet-slot type. In the latter event, the gripping member oncertain of the base-gripping elements thereof may have a lateralprojection to engage one or more lateral projections or protuberancesWhich are usually present in the internal peripheral surface of the lampbase in line with the projections which engage in the bayonet-slots ofthe socket.

This application is a continuation in part of our application, SerialNo. 669,061, led May 11, 1946.

It will be understood that various changes in the details ofconstruction and in the arrangeammessi ment of parts may be made withoutdeparting from the underlying idea or principles of our invention withinthe scope of the appended claims. Having thus described our invention,what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A tool for removing a screw-threaded lamp base from a threaded socketcomprising a holder member having an internally screw-threaded part, arod having a screw-threaded stem in screw-threaded engagement with saidpart, said holder member having a tubular portion extending axially fromsaid screw-threaded part, said tubular portion being provided with aninternal peripheral groove, a plurality of circumferentially disposedgripping elements carried by said f holder member in said tubularIportion thereof, each of said gripping elements being provided in itsouter surface with a lateral end projection removably positioned in saidgroove for preventing relative axial movement of said holder member andsaid gripping elements, said gripping elements being radially movable inrelation to said holder member and extending axially beyond the free endof said tubular portion thereof,

said gripping elements being externally screwthreaded in the extendedportions thereof for engagement with the screw-thread of the lamp baseinternally of the latter, each of said gripping elements comprising alongitudinally extending bar having an inner surface `portion whichflares outwardly toward the outer end thereof and being provided withlongitudinally spaced recesses disposed on the inner surface thereofabove said flared portion, and a pair of circular centrally aperturedplates each provided with a plurality of circumferentially spacedrecesses in the outer peripheral edges thereof, said plates engagingsaid gripping elements in the longitudinally spaced recesses thereof andsaid gripping elementsl engaging said plates in the circumferentiallyspaced recesses thereof whereby said gripping elements are retained bysaid plates in the circumferentially spaced relation thereof and saidplates are held in fixed spaced relation longitudinally of saidelements, said interengagement between said gripping elements and platesenabling limited radial movement of said gripping elements to theircircumferentially expanded and contracted positions for operativeengagement with and release from the lamp base,

the upper one of said plates being provided with a lateral keyprojection, said tubular portion being provided on its inner surfacewith a recess in which said key projection is disposed for preventingthe turning of said upper plate in said holder member, said rodextending through the apeitures in said plates and having a sliding littherein, and said rod being provided lwith an inwardly tapering part atthe end thereof below the screw-threaded stem thereof, said inwardlytapering part being in juxtaposition to said outwardly flaring surfaceportions of said gripping elements whereby rotation of said rod inrelation to said holder member in a direction for unscrewing the lampbase from its socket results in axial movement of said inwardly taperedpart toward the end of said holder member opposite the free end of said'tubular portion thereof and in a radial outward movement of saidgripping elements to clamp the latter radially against the lamp base sothat continued rotation of Said rod in said direction causes the lampbase to be unscrewed from its socket.

2. A tool for removing a screw-threaded lamp 'base from a socket, as setforth in claim 1, wherein said gripping elements are provided withbevelled outer surface portions at the outer ends thereof forfacilitating the insertion of said elements into the lamp base or intothe lamp base socket.

JACK SHAPIRO. MARVIN SHAPIRO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile` ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 736,991 Matthews Aug. 25, 1903851,137 Manley Apr. 23, 1907 1,390,917 Lyon Sept. 13, 1921 1,492,466Jarmolowsky Apr. 29I 1924 1,813,567 Delorme July 7, 1931 1,892,904Robinson et al. Jan. 3, 1933 2,360,054: Haas Oct. 10, 1944 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 311,451 Germany! Mar. 22, 1919

